Feeler mechanism for looms.



W. P. STRAW.

FEELER MECHANISII FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED 00.28. I915.

1 1 85,0 1 9. Patented May 30, 1916.

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W. P. STRAW. FEELER MECHANISM FPR LOOMS.

APPLlCATlON FILED 001228. 1915.

1 1 85,0 1 9 Patented May 30, 1916. 2 s'HTssun 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM PARKER STRAW,

OF MANGHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOB TO DRAPEB.

COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MINE FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed October 28, 1915. Serial No. 58,477.

feeler mechanism for automatic filling re-' plenishing looms and has for its primary object the production of a simplified form of feeling mechanism adapted to cooperate with bobbins or other filling carriers having feeler slots to receive the end of the feeler when the last layer of fillingis being unwound thereby causing the actuation of the transferring means to replenish the shuttle with a full bobbin.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby automatic action of the transferring mechanism will be arrested during the stoppage of the loom, so that the loom may be turned over by hand, while not running under power, without causing unnecessary transfer.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as applied to the Northrop type of loom a suflicient portion of the loom being shown to disclose the relation of the novel elements and combinations thereto.

The drawings also show the manner in which these improvements may be incorporated in the Northrop type of loom without materially modifying the mechanism thereof.

In the drmvings, Figure 1 is a plan view, centrally broken away of a portion of a loom embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the end portion of the loom, looking from the rear toward the front, showing the manner in which the improved mechanisms are applied to the loom; Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section showing the latch which is connected to the controller rod and the means for actuating or nearly the last the same from a vibrating actuator; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the novel feeler.

The mechanism illustrated herein is similar in many respects to that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,150,976 granted August- 24, 1915 but comprising improvements thereupon directed mainly to simplifications of structure which result in greater economy of construction and el'ficiency in operation. These improvements are illustrated herein as embodied in the well known Northrop type of loom and are so constructed as to adapt the loom for the use of bobbins or other filling carriers having recesses or slots to receive the end of the feeler, as the last layer of filling is being unwound and thereby initiate the action of the transfer mechanism to discharge the empty filling carrier and substitute a fresh The loom illustrated in the drawings comprises the breast beam 1, the lay 2 with the shuttle boxes 3, 4 the hopper or battery 5 and transfer arm 6, the operation of the latter being effected through a controller (not shown) and controller rod 7 which may be rocked upon detection of failure of filling either by the usual mechanism controlled and actuated by the weft 'fork 9 and weft hammer 10 or upon detection of substantial absence of filling by the feeler mechanism which will hereinafter be described.

The feeler mechanism may conveniently be carried by the end or extension of the usual shipper plate 11. The fceler bracket 12 being preferably secured to the shipper plate by a bolt-13 passing through slots 14, 15 disposed at right angles to each other in the feeler bracket and shipper plate respectively to permit both vertical and horizontal adjustment of the feeler.

The feeler preferably is in the form of a rod 16 having a reduced end portion 17 and is slidably mounted in a bearing in a lateral extension 18 of the foeler bracket 12 and in a bearing 19 in a supplemental bracket 20 which may be secured to the bracket 12 by suitable screws or bolts 21. The feeler is provided with a collar 32 hav ing a laterally projecting ledge 23 provided with 3, preferably V-shaped recess 24 in its under face to engage the transmitter in a mariner hereinafter to be, described. The feeler is normally retained'yieldably in or tended position by a helical spring 25 surrounding the rod 14' and hearing at its ends respectively upon the bearing 19 and the collar 22.

'hen the feeler is in normal extended position it is adapted to pass through the aperture 26 in the shuttle box, and the corresponding aperture 27 in the shuttle 28 and to engage the filling on the filling carrier 29 in the shuttle directly in alinement with the horizontal slot or recess 30 in the. filling carrier so that the feeler will be forced forward against the force of the spring 25- toward the front of the loom upon each beat up of the lay so long as there is one or more layers of filling upon the filling carrier. 'hen however the filling is sufficiently wound off to permit the end of the feeler to enter the recess or slot in the barrel of the filling carrier the fccler will not be actuated but will be retained by its spring in the extended position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. 'hen in such extended position the ledge 23 of the collar 22 lies directly over the end of a transmitter 131. which preferably is in the form of a lever pivotally mounted upon a stud 32 projecting laterally from a bracket 33 which extends upwardly from the shipper stand.

The opposite end of the transmitter 31 preferably is provided with a substantially vertical extension 34 having laterally projecting ledges 35, 34; adapted to engage respectively the upper and lower faces of the breast beam and thereby limit the movement of the transmitter 31. The vertical extension 34 desirably is also provided with a longitudinal projection 37 which is adapted to be engaged by a spring actuated dog carried by the weft hammer or some other vibrating actuator, which moves in synchronism with the movement of the lay.

In order to keep the dog engaging portion 37 of the transmitter extension 31 in elevated position the outer portion of the transmitter 31 is provided with a preferably integral counterweight 38. The dog 40 which engages the transn'litter extension 37 preferably is pivotally mounted upon a stud 41 projecting laterally from an extension 12 of the weft hammer 43, being conveniently secured thereon by a bolt 41. The dog 40 is provided with a downwardly extending tail 4-0 between which and a ledge 45 on the weft hammer extension 42 a spring 46 is seated, said spring normally tending to rctain the dog in depressed position. The dog 10 preferably lies directly beneath a latch 47 which is pivoted upon a stud 48 at the end of vertical extension or arm 7 of the controller rod 7, the free end of the latch 47 extending beneath a guiding stud 49 on the weft hammer extension 42. The latch 47 desiably is reduced near its end to provide a shoulder 50, preferably having an inclined face, adapted to be engaged by the end of the dog 40.

When in the normal operation of the loom the lay heats up, the filling on the filling carrier engages the feeler and forces the same forward, removing the collar 22 and its ledge 23 from the vertical path of the outer end of the transmitter. As the weft hammer follows closely the movement of the lay the dog 40 engages the projection 37 on the opposite end of the transmitter and de presses it since the strength of the spring 46 is more than sutiicient to overcome the counterweight 38.

\Vhen, however, the filling carrier becomes sufficiently unwound to permit the end 17 0f the feeler 16 to enter the recess or slot 3U in the filling carrier the collar 22 and its ledge 23 are retained in the extended position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 1. and when the dog 40 engages the projection 37 at the opposite end of the transmitter the outer end of the transmitter 31 engages the recess 40 in the ledge 23 of the feeler collar 2:! thus preventing further movement of the transmitter. lipon further forward movement thereupon of the weft hammer the dog 40 rides up on its curved under surface until its end engages the shoulder 50 of the latch 4.7, and upon still further movement rocks the arm and the controller rod 7 sufficiently to cause the action of the. transfer mechanism to replenish the exhausted shuttle.

As looms are often stopped either manually or automatically for the purpose of splicing the warp ends and for making adjustments or repairs, at which times the loom is frequently turned over bv hand with the shuttle withdrawn or improperly boxed, it is desirable that the automatic action of the transfer mechanism be suspended to avoid unnecessary transfer. This may be accomplished in the present construction by a very simple expedient consisting of cooperating means carried by the shipper lever and the transmitter adapted to lock the latter in inoperative position during the stoppage of the Loom.

As illustrated herein the shipper lever 51, which is of the usual type pivotally mounted on a bracket 52 carried by the loom frame. is provided with a laterally extending stud 53, which may have a surroumling anti-friction collar 54. adapted to engage the under inclined face of the counterweight 3i, and lift the same to inoperative position.

n order to avoid the ne essity of accurate construction and also to prevent injury in case the shipper should be thrown while the feeler is in extended position and the ledge 23 overlying the end of the transmitter, the under face of the counterweight 38 prefer ably is provided with a recess 55 and a spring plate 56 is secured over the same, to be engaged by the stud on the shipper. In

the normal operation of the loom however the shipper will seldom if ever be actuated to stop the loom and to engage the translnitter when the latter is prevented from movement by the ledge on the feeler.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the mechanism described herein may be varied widely within the scope of my invention. for example the stud may be located upon the transn'iitter and the yielding cooperating member may be carried b the shipper. or intermediate mechanisms may be introduced to effect the same result. It should also be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is illustrative thereof and is not restrictive of the following claims.

Ilaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic filling replenishing loom equipped with filling carriers having feeling recesses. t ansferring mechanism, controlling mechanism therefor including a controller roekshaft and latch. a vibrating actuator, a spring actuated dog earned thereby. a transmitter engaged by said dog upon each forward movement of said actuator, a spring actuated feeler having a laterally extended ledge adapted upon entry of the end of the feeler into the feeling recess in a filling carrier to engage the end of said transmitter and to restrain the movement thereof and thereby cause said dog to engage and actuate the controller latch to initiate the action of the transfer n'iechanism.

2. ln an automatic filling replenishing loolll comprising transferring mechanism. feeler mechanism, a vibrating actuator. a transmitter operable by said fceler mechanism upon detection of substantial exhaustion of filling to initiate the action of the transferring mechanism, stop mechanism including a shipper and cooperating means carried respectively by said shipper and said transmitter adapted to prevent automatic action of the transferring mechanism during the stoppage of the loom.

3. In an automatic filling replenishing loom Comprising transferring mechanism, feeler mechanism, a vibrating actuator and a transmitter operable by said feeier mechanism upon detection of substantial exhaustion of filling to initiate the action of the transferring mechanism, stop mechanism including a shipper, a stud on said shipper positioned to engage and raise said transmitter when the shipper is thrown to stopping position, and thereby prevent automatic action of the transferring mechanism during the stoppage of the loom.

4. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising transferring mechanism. feeler mechanism, a vibrating actuator and a transmitter operable by said feeler mechanism upon detection of substantial exhaustion of filling to initiate the action of the transferring mechanism, stop mechanism including a shipper, a stud on said shipper. and a yieldablc member on said transmitter adapted to be engaged thereby when the shipper is thrown to stopping position whereby automatic action of the transferring mechanism will be avoided during the stoppa of the loom.

5. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comprising transferring mechanism, feeler mechanism. a vibrating actuator and a counterweighted transmitter operable by said feeler mechanism upon substantial exhaustion, of filling to initiate the action of the transferring mechanism. stop mechanism including a shipper, and a stud upon said shipper positioned to engage and raise the transmitter to inoperative position as the shipper is thrown to stopping position, thereby preventing the automatic action of the transfer mechanism during the stoppage of the loom.

(i. In an automatic filling replenishing loom comi'irising transferring mechanism, feeler mechanism, a vibrating actuator, a pivoted transmitter having an integral counterweight provided with a yieidable. member operable by said feeler mechanism upon detection of substantial exhaustion of illing to initiate the action of the transfer ring mechanism, stop mechanism including a shipper and a stud on said shippev adapted to engage the yieldable member upon sa id counterweight when the shipper is thrown to stopping position whereby the action of the. transferring mechanism will be avoided during the stoppage of the loom.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

VILLIAM PARKER. S'iILUY. 

